Hide Away
by FreaKyJealousoveralLyCalm4
Summary: Everyone notices when Kate Sanders starts acting weird and distant during the first week of school, especially her friends. What secret is she hiding? Will Lizzie be able to help her?
1. Chapter 1

FreaKyJealousoveralLyCalm4

Inspired by Hilary Duff's song _Hide Away_

Disclaimer: I do **not** own Lizzie McGuire or any of its characters; the plot is mine.

Hide Away:

A Lizzie McGuire Story

Chapter 1

"Hey Lizzie," David 'Gordo' Gordon said as he walked over to his best friend, who was also his girlfriend.

"Hey Gordo," Lizzie McGuire said.

The couple stood and smiled at each other, savoring the short moment. It was interrupted when their other best friend, Miranda Sanchez, quickly walked over to them.

"Did any of you guys finish the math homework?" Miranda asked hopefully.

"Hello would be nice," Lizzie joked.

"Hey," Miranda said absently, waving her hand slightly. "So have you?"

"Hold that thought," Lizzie said before she went over to her friend, Kate Sanders, who was coming down the hall.

"Wait..." Miranda whined. Gordo gave her a questioning look.

"What?" She asked.

Gordo just shrugged, "Nothing. It's just..."

Miranda sighed while she prepared herself for one of Gordo's mini-speeches.

"You could ask _me_ for help too, you know."

"Well I did say 'you guys,'" Miranda reminded Gordo.

"Right..."

"Just help me," Miranda said with a smirk.

Gordo silently agreed while Miranda got out her math homework.

While Gordo assisted Miranda, Lizzie made her way through various people to get to Kate.

"Hey Kate," Lizzie said warmly.

"Oh, hey McGuire," Kate said in an annoyed tone while she stepped around Lizzie.

Lizzie frowned in confusion and annoyance while people flew by around her. _What was _that_? I almost get turned into a living pancake, and all she says is 'Hey McGuire?'_

"I'm kidding, Lizzie," Kate said. She tried not to laugh while she made her way back to Lizzie.

"Very funny," Lizzie said sarcastically. She frowned in slight annoyance, but started to smile again when she realized the humor in the situation.

Kate was about to say something when Ethan Craft walked up to them.

"Hey Lizzie, hey Kate," He said with a smile.

"Oh h-hey," Kate said awkwardly.

Lizzie smiled encouragingly at Kate. _Poor Kate..._a_nd I thought _I _was bad around Ethan. _

Lizzie thought back to the many times she had tried to talk to Ethan, before they were friends.

_Well...maybe I wasn't _that_ much better, but she's Kate Sanders! She should already know how to talk to cute guys._

"I have to get to my, uh, first period class," Kate said suddenly before she hurried off without looking back.

_Well, Kate is human too. _"..Bye," Lizzie mumbled to Kate's retreating figure.

Ethan just stared after Kate with a confused look. "Later Lizzie," He said with a sigh.

"Later Ethan," Lizzie said. She tried to smile at him, so she could cheer him up, but his gaze was focused on the ground.

"What was that?" Miranda asked while Lizzie worriedly looked after Ethan.

"I don't know," Lizzie confessed. "But I'm going to find out."

*LMcG*

Matt McGuire made his way down the middle school hall. The same middle school hall Lizzie had fell down in multiple times just the previous year.

No, he had not snuck in posing as the new kid again; Matt was actually starting middle school.

Just as Matt opened his locker, he felt someone tapping him on the shoulder.

"Oh, hey Lanny!" Matt greeted his best friend. He was glad to see a familiar face.

Lanny Onasis gave Matt a weary look while gesturing to Matt's hair. Matt was unable to reply to Lanny's comment, due to three girls who came up to him giggling.

"Hey ladies," Matt said smoothly, which made the girls giggle more.

"MOVE!" A voice called from behind the girls. They instantly moved aside to reveal Melina Bianco.

"Melin—hey!" Matt said as his other best friend dragged him to a corner, away from the girls.

"_What_ did you do to your hair?" Melina boomed.

"What's with all the hair comments?" Matt groaned "All I did was let it grow out."

Matt hadn't seen Melina or Lanny since the beginning of the summer. Matt, along with Lizzie, had been grounded for the remainder of the summer due to him putting Lizzie's graduation video on national television, and her secretly impersonating a famous pop-star.

Melina sighed. "All those girls like you now."

"Really?" Matt asked surprised.

Lanny nodded and gestured to Matt's hair again.

Matt made an expression of understanding and said, "Oh, I get it! Because I let my hair grow slightly past my ears, girls like me now."

"Great catching on," Melina said sarcastically. "Now let's go!" She demanded.

Matt shrugged before he shut his locker, and followed his two friends down the hall.


	2. Chapter 2

FreaKyJealousoveralLyCalm4

Sorry if Kate seems a little OOC.

Disclaimer: I do **not** own Lizzie McGuire or any of its characters; the plot is mine.

Hide Away:

A Lizzie McGuire Story

Chapter 2

"Have you talked to Kate yet?" Miranda asked Lizzie. At the same moment Gordo, Lizzie, and Miranda sat down, with Lizzie in the middle, to an empty lunch table.

"No, she's been either too into her work," Lizzie answered. "Or too far away from me in all the classes we've had together."

"Why don't you go and talk to her now?" Gordo asked while he gestured towards Kate who was walking near their table.

"Hey Kate," Lizzie called out.

"Oh hey," Kate said.

"Come sit with us," Miranda said as she gestured towards a seat across from of them.

After learning about what had happened over the summer between Kate, Gordo, Lizzie, and Ethan, Miranda became friends with Ethan and even Kate.

"Well," Kate hesitated.

"What?" Gordo asked.

"Is anyone else sitting here?" Kate asked.

"Like who?" Lizzie wondered.

"Um…never mind sure," Kate said quickly.

_Okay, that was a little weird. _Lizzie thought to herself.

"Hey," Ethan said walking up to their table. "Mind if I sit here?"

"Go ahead," Miranda said at the same time Gordo said 'sure.'

Lizzie glanced at Kate, who was nervously staring down at her salad, when Ethan sat down directly beside Kate.

"Oh my gosh! I forgot dressing for my salad," Kate said while making a 'silly me' expression.

"You use salad dressing?" Ethan asked.

"Sure, why wouldn't I?" Kate quickly got up before he could remark though.

Ethan just sighed lightly before biting into his sandwich.

Lizzie, do something! Miranda lipped to Lizzie.

I will. Lizzie lipped back. _I will… if I can._

*LMcG*

"This is really weird," Matt said as he sat down beside Lanny.

Lanny gave him a questioning look.

"It may be hard to believe, but I've never had this much attention from so many girls before," Matt admitted.

"Hey Matt," A short brunette with freckles and a pixie cut called to him.

"Hey," Matt said with a wave. "Did you see _that_?"

Lanny nodded with wide eyes.

"Do you know _who_ that was?"

Lanny nodded back eagerly.

"Eva Shapiro, the most popular girl in the _seventh_ grade. I must be getting _really_ popular." Matt said with a smile.

"Who cares?" Melina said before sitting down on Matt's other side.

"Who _cares_?" Matt echoed in disbelief. "Melina, how can you _not_ care?"

"I've just never been too much into popularity," She said with a shrug.

Lanny nodded, agreeing with Melina.

"Hey Matt," One of the giggling girls from earlier called approaching Matt. "Will you go to the dance with me on Friday?"

"Dance? What dance…?" Matt asked confused.

"He'll get back to you, run along," Melina answered for Matt. "GO!" She exclaimed. This made the girl jump slightly before quickly leaving.

"There's a dance?" Matt asked _still_ confused.

"Yeah, the back to school one," Melina said mocking the phrase back to school. "I guess you're not that _cool_, since you didn't know about it."

"Of course I'm cool," Matt said, jumping to defend himself. "I just…didn't know there was a dance."

"Obviously," Melina said, laughing slightly.

*LMcG*

Throughout majority of the lunch period, Kate made up miscellaneous excuses to leave the table; she barely ended up eating anything. Lizzie was worried.

When she realized she had no classes with Kate in the afternoon, Lizzie asked Miranda, Gordo, and even Ethan to try to talk to Kate. The only one that got to talk to her was Ethan, but only for a few minutes before she got him distracted.

"Sorry Lizzie," Ethan said while he shoved a few books back into his locker.

"Its okay, Ethan, at least you got to talk to her a little," Lizzie said. "Hopefully I can get her to talk to me after school."

"Cool. If you don't, call me," Ethan said before shutting his locker.

"I will," Lizzie agreed. "Thanks Ethan."

He nodded before waving goodbye to her. Lizzie briefly waved back before making her way to the gym, where cheerleading practice was taking place.

Lizzie tentatively walked into the gym, and sighed in relief when she realized they hadn't started practice yet.

_That could have been _very _embarrassing. _

"Lizzie," Kate called before walking up to her. "What are you doing here?"

"I came to find you," Lizzie explained. "Kate, what's up with you?"

"Nothing," Kate said with a smile.

_She seems fine, but I know she's hiding something._ "Then why did you run off this morning and avoid us during lunch."

"Well," Kate said but was interrupted by her coach.

"Sanders, get over here!" The cheerleading coach, Coach Morgan called.

"I've got to go, Lizzie," Kate called before hurrying towards the rest of the cheerleading team.

"We're talking about this later," Lizzie called after her. "I hope." She mumbled to herself before turning to leave.


	3. Chapter 3

FreaKyJealousoveralLyCalm4

Sorry I've been soooooo slow. Hopefully this makes up for it…?

Disclaimer: I do **not** own Lizzie McGuire or any of its characters; the plot is mine.

Hide Away:

A Lizzie McGuire Story

Chapter 3

"How'd it go with Kate?" Miranda asked.

"The same way it's been going all day," Lizzie groaned in response.

"Nowhere?" Gordo asked helpfully.

"Exactly," Lizzie replied.

Suddenly there was breathing coming from the receiver.

Lizzie wrinkled her face in confusion before realization hit.

"Matt! Get off the phone!"

"You get off! I really need it!" He yelled back through the phone.

"Ugh! Hang up!"

"Mom!"

"Mom!"

"Lizzie!" Mrs. McGuire called.

_What! This isn't _completely _my fault… Matt totally started it! I demand a trial! _

"Kate's here!" Lizzie's mother continued.

_Oh…I'm _not_ in trouble…I knew that._

"Sorry guys...I guess, I have to go," Lizzie said.

"It's okay, we'll talk at school," Miranda said.

Lizzie nodded, despite that her friends couldn't see her.

"Bye Miranda. Bye Gordo."

"Bye Lizzie," Miranda replied.

"Bye Lizzie…Love you," Gordo said back.

Lizzie smiled slightly before she replied, "Love you too."

Miranda rolled her eyes while she gagged. "Yuck! I hate it when you guys get all mushy gushy!"

Lizzie and Gordo rolled there eyes.

"Just kidding," Miranda said innocently.

"Alright, later," Lizzie said, laughing slightly.

"Later," Gordo and Miranda said at the same time.

Then they all hung up.

*LMcG*

Lizzie bounded down the stairs to find a stressed and semi-tired looking Kate.

"Hey Kate, what's up?" Lizzie asked worriedly.

"Let's go to your room," Kate said with a sigh.

"Um…okay," Lizzie answered.

Once they got upstairs, with the door locked, Kate began to talk.

"I'm scared," Kate confessed.

Kate _is scared? __The same Kate who scared half the girls in our class last year? The same Kate who made it back on the cheer-leading squad doing one armed cartwheels? _

"_You're_ scared?" Lizzie asked for clarification.

Kate nodded weakly.

"Why?"

"Well, Ethan—"

_What? Kate is scared...of Ethan?_

"You're scared of Ethan?" Lizzie screeched in confusion.

"No!" Kate sighed in frustration. "Lizzie, you didn't let me finish."

"Sorry," Lizzie mumbled. "Go ahead."

"Just forget it," Kate said. She started to get up, but Lizzie pulled her back down.

"Please? I'm sorry."

Kate nodded again before she reluctantly spoke again.

"Remember the night we were packing in Rome…"

_Flashback to Rome_

"Lizzie?" Kate asked.

"Yeah?" Lizzie asked looking up from her suitcase.

"Can I tell you something?"

"Sure." Lizzie sat on her bed to give Kate her full attention. "What is it?"

"Tonight, me and Ethan," Kate smiled slightly when she said Ethan. "We had a connection."

"That's great! Right…?"

"Yes, it's a good thing."

Both girls giggled for a few minutes.

_In the present_

"Yeah, I remember. You were tell me about how you and Ethan were bonding over spaghetti...? What's the problem?"

"How can you not see the problem? I like Ethan!"

"Yes, Kate," Lizzie said slowly. "We've established this."

"No, Lizzie!" Kate said with a sigh. "I told you I was scared."

Lizzie just nodded as she became more lost.

"I'm scared…that Ethan and my relationship will turn out like it did before…into nothing."

"Did you tell Ethan this?"

"Of course not," Kate said with a snort.

"Why not?"

"Why should I?"

"Kate, Ethan's your boy—"

"Actually…he isn't," Kate confessed.

"What? Why not!"

"Well…he didn't ask me out. I mean, like I'm going to ask out that—"

"Kate!"

"What?"

"You both like each other. Why should it matter who asks who out?"

"Do you ever ask Gordo on dates?"

"Well…no."

"Exactly!"

"But we haven't _been_ on any dates because I was stuck inside all summer."

Kate looked like she was going to object, but decided against it once she realized Lizzie was right.

"Just ask him, I'm sure he'll say yes," Lizzie said.

"Maybe…" Kate said with a sigh. "I better go, Lizzie. My mom will be here in a few minutes."

"Okay, night Kate."

"Night Lizzie," Kate said. She smiled slightly before closing Lizzie's door behind her.

*LMcG*

Kate, despite Lizzie's advice, acted like she was behind on her homework. She ate her lunch in the library because of this. Unfortunately, her avoidance technique didn't work out as well as she thought.

Ethan came into the library while Kate tried to work on the math assignment in front of her. He sat down in the seat across from her.

"Hey," Ethan said with a smile.

"Hey," Kate said quietly.

"Why are you avoiding me?" Ethan asked bluntly.

"I'm not," Kate mumbled.

Ethan gently put a piece of Kate's hair behind her left ear. He sighed quietly and took her hands in his.

"Kate, I know we haven't been the closest friends, but I'm still here, okay?"

Kate's eyes focused on their joined hands.

"Kate?" Ethan asked. "You listening?"

"Okay," Kate replied quietly.

"Okay, what?"

"Okay, like, I get that you're here."

"Good," Ethan said with a smile.

"Great," Kate agreed halfheartedly.


End file.
